Rule Two regarding life in England: The press is generally horrid. I have only been on English soil two days and already the press exasperates me. I rarely see people buy newspapers as they either subscribe online or they read the free newspapers found at any rail or Tube station. The free paper Metro, suitable… Continue reading The Queen is dead, long live the Queen
Tag: travel
Skip to the loo
Day Two in England and I remain truly a stranger in a strange land. Today I travelled to Winchester…what a prize! First rule of travelling in England: People do NOT talk to strangers on the train, especially in the morning… Such a contrast to life in Montreal where there are bus drivers who spontaneously break… Continue reading Skip to the loo
Sounds and signs in discord
One of the greatest difficulties with English language teaching is trying to explain why English words with similar spellings can have such different sounds. Compare for example words like though(th-oh), through (thr-oo), thorough (thur-oh) and tough (tuff). Or why words with different spellings have the same sound, like to, too and two. And there are… Continue reading Sounds and signs in discord
The struggle to share
Two very good friends of mine shared their experiences with me today… One friend told me of the death of another. My second friend related the excitement of a journey she had been on recently. Words always seem to fail at moments such as these when the experience is not one you are sharing. Death has visited… Continue reading The struggle to share
No-smile zones
A place is neither good or bad of itself. It is our perceptions of that place that give it its reputation. Some places naturally excel due to their inherant beauty, like Venice, Bruges or Florence. Other places may not leap to mind immediately as tourist destinations, but the warmth and intimacy of their people make the… Continue reading No-smile zones
The walk of life
“They do the walk. They do the walk of life.” (Dire Straits, “Walk of Life”, Brothers in Arms) “Our neighbourhoods aren´t all that hostile… I have a thousand times more often encountered friends passing by, a sought-for book in a store window, compliments and greetings from my loquacious neighbours, architectural delights, posters for music and… Continue reading The walk of life
Happiness is a warm gun
“Ideas should not stay inside the brain, but should be released and given expression.”(André Robillard) This year of 2015 the Thurgau Art Museum is paying homage to the work of André Robillard…and after our lacklustre time on the Beaver Trail today, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I also paid homage to his work. We… Continue reading Happiness is a warm gun
Walking with Anahareo
Another day, another walk, this time along the Beaver Trail of the World Wildwife (umm sorry, Wildlife) Federation of Bodensee-Thurgau with She Who Must Be Obeyed. The Trail is a 5 km/3-hour walk, through forest and field, beside river and stream, near the town of Pfyn (pronounced “foon”), close to the city of Weinfelden, and… Continue reading Walking with Anahareo
Legends of Castle Frauenfeld
Unwilling to have She Who Must Be Obeyed criticize me for remaining at home with nice weather outside while She had to work, I left the Eden known as Landschlacht for the corrupting pleasures of the Thurgau Cantonal capital, Frauenfeld. My mission: To distract myself in a museum, or along some pathway, or linger Euro-style upon… Continue reading Legends of Castle Frauenfeld
Princes and powers and principalities
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against princes and powers and principalites.” Ephesians 6:12 “Fight all governments. There´s no authority but yourself.” Posted sticker seen on Gleis 2, Frauenfeld Bahnhof This morning, at 0115 precisely, my good mood from the birthday party ended. The SBB train home to Landschlacht was leaving at 0103… Continue reading Princes and powers and principalities